A Million Reasons: A Father's Touch
by TreeofStars
Summary: Set in the 'A Million Reasons' Universe. Won't make sense unless you have read that story. Summary - Sometimes, a girl just needs her daddy.


Author's Note - Post-A Million Reasons. This will make no sense unless you have read that story.

Summary - Sometimes a girl just needs her daddy.

 **~MKMKMKMKMK~**

Matt could hear the baby crying before he even opened the door.

He'd ventured out to the market to get some supplies for dinner, after Kitty all but shooed him out of the house. Doc had gone to Dr. Perrie's office for some orientation and background on a few of the patients he'd be assisting with. He wasn't really sure about leaving Kitty and their three-day old daughter, but she assured him they'd be fine.

He entered and shut the door behind him, placing the groceries on the kitchen table before hanging his coat on the rack and heading upstairs.

He found Kitty pacing the length of the bedroom, rocking the baby in her arms.

"Kitty? Everyone okay in here?"

She turned to him, and he was surprised to see her crying as well. "I can't get her to stop…"

"Oh. Well, is she hungry?"

She shook her head. "I just fed her, Matt."

"Did you burp her? She's gassier than I am-"

"I did that! I'm not stupid, Matt! She's fed and dry and burped and doesn't seem to want to sleep."

"Okay. You want me to try?" He walked over to her and held his hands out.

She shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong!" She kissed the baby, shushing her. Laura's face was red and tear-streaked, her tiny body shaking with the effort of crying.

Matt reached out and rubbed the baby's back. He hated to see her so upset, to see Kitty so upset. "Do you want me to go get Doc?"

Kitty's eyes went wide. "Why? Do you think she's sick? Or hurt?"

"Well, no, I don't think so, but if you want him here, I'll go get him."

"No," she sobbed, burying her face in his shirt. "I can't take hearing her cry, Matt…"

"I know, honey." He stroked her back, keeping one hand on the baby's head. He truthfully had no idea what to do. An expert on babies, he was not. He knew they cried a lot, but didn't know how to make it stop other than the usual. "Do they cry sometimes for no reason?"

Kitty nodded. "The Devon baby did. I don't think he stopped crying the entire time I stayed with Sarah out by Silver Creek. But this is different! I'm her mother. I should be able to stop it!"

Matt sighed. He really didn't know what to say. "Maybe she's just over-tired. Or cold, or hot. Or maybe she misses her papa." His attempt at humor fell flat.

"It's okay, baby. It's okay…"

He was on the verge of tears, too. He had no idea that a baby's cry could be so distressing. "Honey, can I take her for a minute? Please?"

Kitty looked up at him and nodded slowly. "Okay," she sniffled, kissing Laura's head as Matt took her.

He cradled the baby in one arm, and gently patted her back with the other. He was deathly afraid of hurting her, his hand covering her entire back easily. Her tiny fist curled against his chest as she cried.

"Tell me what's wrong, Little Bit," he whispered, bouncing her gently. He continued the motion for several minutes, feeling even more at a loss than before.

Suddenly, Laura's sobs began to subside, and Kitty looked at him with wide eyes. "Don't stop moving. At all," she said.

Matt smiled. "I won't. Even if we have to stay like this til she's thirty."

Eventually the baby quieted, her eyes becoming heavy with sleep.

Kitty wiped the tears from her face, and Matt did the same with Laura, his thumb caressing her cheeks as she surrendered to sleep.

He sighed in relief. "Now what? If I put her down…"

"Sit on the bed with her, maybe?"

He nodded and went over to the bed, sitting down on the edge. "Honey, you want to help me with my boots?"

She smiled. "Sure thing, Cowboy."

Once his boots were off, Matt sat back against the pillows, careful not to jostle the baby.

Kitty crawled up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "That was awful," she said.

"I know."

She reached out and stroked a Laura's tuft of red hair with a finger. "I wish I knew what the problem was."

"I don't know. Do babies dream? Did she have a nightmare, maybe?"

Kitty shuddered. "I hope not. Poor baby."

"The important thing is, she stopped. I have no idea why, but she did."

"Yeah, you got her to stop."

Something about her tone bothered him. "Does that upset you?"

"No," she shook her head, her tangled curls brushing against his cheek. "I'm glad you can comfort her. You're a good daddy."

He turned his neck to kiss her head. "You're a good mother, too you know."

She said nothing, but continued to stroke Laura's head.

"You know what I'm excited for?"

"What?"

"When she gets freckles."

Kitty groaned. "Don't even. The poor child. It would be borderline abuse to make her go through life with them."

"I know, you hate yours. But I don't."

"I know you don't." She shook her head with a smile.

"I just don't want you to forget now."

"How could I?"

He laughed, grabbing her hand and kissing the smattering of freckles there. "You have to admit - she's going to be adorable with them."

She hummed noncommittally. "Maybe."

"I still can't get over how much she looks like you."

"She certainly does." Kitty held the baby's tiny hand. "I think she has your fingers though."

"But your toes." He lifted a small foot. "Look how cute!"

Kitty couldn't help but laugh.

"What?"

She shook her head. "You're pretty cute, too, you know."

"Now Kitty, a man doesn't want to be called 'cute'."

"That's too bad. You are. You're adorable with her."

"Well, I don't think I can be the kind of father that doesn't interact with his child. I want to hold her, play with her, make her laugh. And if all that makes me cute, so be it."

Kitty grinned, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Yup. Definitely cute." She sighed happily, snuggling up against him.

Together they watched their baby girl sleep soundly in her father's arms.


End file.
